


Catch Me If You Can

by Lady_Phenyx



Series: Whumptober 2019 [16]
Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Gen, ask to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 23:01:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21005585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Phenyx/pseuds/Lady_Phenyx
Summary: There are hunters in the Witch's Forest. Snufkin and Alicia come across them while searching for various plants, and it turns out, they're the ones being hunted.Alicia's Witch Grandmother is Not Happy about that.Whumptober Day 12: Don't Move





	Catch Me If You Can

Alicia's grandmother might not have been happy about Alicia hanging out with the Moomins, but after they had helped her when she fell from her broom, well...

Yes, they were infecting her would-be witch granddaughter with ideas of goodness and kindness, but Alicia was still studying, still intended to become a witch, and was happier than ever.

Despite her attempts at manipulating Alicia, her granddaughter's happiness did matter to her, and so long as Alicia didn't let it interfere with her studies, well...

Studying to be a witch didn't leave Alicia much time to play anymore, but she was always happy to find a little time to spend with her friends.

So when she and Snufkin's paths crossed in the woods, they continued on their errands together. Alicia was gathering plants for her grandmother and their lesson on potions, while Snufkin was gathering plants for his own first aid kit and Moominmamma's medicines, which she was teaching him from her grandmother's book, a tome Snufkin considered nearly sacred.

The fact that they were collecting so many of the same plants took them both by surprise, turning quickly into a game to see how many they matched.

They may have nearly been considered full adults now, but they could still find time to play.

The two of them were comparing what uses the latest plant would have, what Moominmamma wanted it for versus what Snufkin wanted with it versus what Alicia's Witch grandmother planned for it, when Snufkin suddenly paused, motioning Alicia to be quiet.

A few seconds later she heard it too – people talking, somewhere in the woods nearby.

Alicia started toward them, halted by Snufkin's hand on her sleeve.

He shook his head, motioning for her to wait.

And a group of men came into view.

They were carrying ropes and chains and nets, with knives at their belts, walking through the woods as though they were looking for something – or someone.

They spotted Snufkin and Alicia, conferring quickly before starting to walk towards them.

The one in the lead spread out his hands, an action that wasn't very reassuring to Snufkin considering the large coil of rope slung over his shoulder and the weapons on his belt.

“Hello there! We've heard there's a witch in these woods, would you two know anything about that?”

“She's my grandmother,” Alicia said before Snufkin could stop her, as he watched the men warily, still holding onto her arm.

The man smiled wider, the others coming up to join him. “Then you're the one we're looking for,” he said. His eyes flickered over to Snufkin, and the grin grew a fraction. “Both of you, I think. Get them.”

The last was said almost casually to the men around him.

Snufkin grabbed Alicia's hand and took off, running at top speed through the woods, Alicia stumbling behind him.

Alicia looked back in time to see a net just miss them, and scrambled to catch up with Snufkin.

They sprinted through the forest, off what trails there were, almost flying through the brush. Their hands and faces were scratched by the branches and twigs, but they didn't stop, hearing the men coming after them, catching up to them despite how fast they were running.

Snufkin yanked on Alicia's hand, pulling her in another direction. Suddenly he yanked harder, throwing them both to the ground and sliding, skidding under roots into a hollow under a huge tree. They pressed against the trunk, panting, hearing the men still coming.

Alicia tugged at Snufkin's hand, pointing up into the branches. He nodded shortly, giving her a boost up into the lower branches.

She reached down, and their fingers barely brushed each other.

The men came closer, and they could hear them poking through the thicket, calling to each other.

“I saw them go in here!”

“Keep looking, they can't have gotten far.”

Snufkin leapt, his hand catching onto Alicia's, using claws to pull himself up into the tree on a surge of panic as the bushes started moving closer to them.

They pulled themselves up the tree, freezing as the men came into view under it, barely daring to breathe as the men grouped below, hidden by the leaves.

Alicia looked over to Snufkin, her eyes confused and frightened. Snufkin knew his reflected the same back to her as he motioned for quiet.

“Why are we chasing those two again?” one of the men asked.

Oh yes, please do tell us, the two in the tree thought, clinging to the trunk.

The man who had spoken to them sighed. “Right, I'll tell you again. The rumors were that there's a witch in these woods, and she's teaching a new witch. A young, red-headed witch, old enough to know some by now but still young enough to be tamed and trained. And there was supposed to be a mymrik spending summers in the valley, I'm betting good time and money that was it with her.”

“There's lots of mumriks,” one of the men protested. “I mean, it's sort of a catch all, isn't it?”

“Not mumrik, _mymrik_,” the leader said impatiently. “A mymble and a mumrik kid. In this case, a joxaren breed mumrik. Those are rare enough, anything that's a cross with them is rarer. Now get back to searching, they can't be far.”

Alicia tugged on Snufkin's sleeve, and pointed once she had his attention.

From their tree they could see the smoke from the Witch's cottage.

Snufkin stared at it, gauging the distance. He dug in his pocket, finding a small rock and flinging it off as far as he could manage in the other direction.

The men turned towards the sound, and started after it.

They waited, tensely, as the men moved away.

And Alicia's foot slipped.

The men froze, starting to turn back.

Snufkin grabbed Alicia's hand and they dropped from the tree, hitting the ground at a run. They sprinted for the cottage, the men calling out from behind them.

They hit the door, slamming it open and stumbling inside.

Alicia tripped, staggering, as Snufkin slammed the door shut behind them and he spun to brace it, his back smacking against it as he panted, bracing himself against the door.

The witch paused, a spoon halfway into her pot, staring at the two of them. “Now what are you...” she began.

“There's men in the woods!” Alicia cried. “They're after us!”

The witch glanced at Alicia and back at Snufkin, and he could see the assumptions she was drawing. “We heard them say they were looking for, trying to catch, a young, red-haired witch,” he said between gasps for breath. “Still young enough to be trainable. And a mymrick the same age. Whatever they want, it can't be good, and it's definitely Alicia they're after.”

“And you,” the witch said, standing very, very still, as she had gone as soon as Snufkin had said 'young, red-haired witch'. “Don't act like that, it's hard to tell but once I figured out it was obvious.”

Outside, they could hear the men, and the witch glanced out the window.

“Ho, the cottage!” the leader called. “There's a witch and mymrik in there with you. We'll pay you good money for them.”

The witch's eyes narrowed in anger. “Looks like you're going to be spending the night, young man,” she said, glancing at Snufkin. “At least until I can figure out how to get rid of them.”

“Please be careful,” Snufkin said quietly. “If they came to catch a witch, they might be prepared even for one as powerful and clever as you.”

“Hm. Flattery will get you nowhere,” the witch huffed. She still preened a bit at the compliments, though. “No one's coming out of this house,” she called to the men outside. “Even if the people you wanted were in here. Now get out of my woods before I cast something nasty on you.”

The man nodded at his companions, who spread themselves around the small clearing at the front of the witch's cottage. “We'll wait. You'll have to come out sooner or later.”

The men settled in, making themselves comfortable as the witch watched in consternation.

“This isn't good, is it, grandma?” Alicia asked. “Do you think we can outlast them in here? We don't have much food to last for more than a couple of days.”

The witch snorted. “Don't be foolish Alicia, we won't need to outlast them. I just have to think of something suitable to cast on them. So don't get any foolish ideas, either of you,” she added sharply, turning to point at first Alicia, then Snufkin. “Especially you, young man. You've got a foolish tendency to try and be a hero. You're going to hide over there and not move, understood?” She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “To think, hunters in a Witch's Forest.”

She gestured Snufkin to a spot over near the fireplace, where it was difficult to be seen from the door, and stared at him until he moved. “I should think it dangerous to hunt witches,” he offered. “Besides immoral.”

The witch sniffed. “There's always fools who think they can force someone into doing what they want.” She glanced at Alicia, and her mouth hardened. “Too cowardly to go after a full witch. Or whatever your father was, if you're somehow rare.”

“He's a joxter,” Snufkin said softly. “A joxaren mumrik.”

The witch hummed softly. “Ah, that explains it. Wanderers, it's for sure, but rare. And I doubt any of them would be willing to go after a full joxaren. Probably betting you take after your mymble mother.”

Snufkin held out his paws and flexed them. Claws appeared at the ends of his fingers, claws he sheathed a moment later, and the witch cackled. “Good, good. Take after your father more than I thought. Let's hope you don't have to use them.”

“They're eating,” Alicia announced, glancing out the window.

“Stay away from there,” the witch snapped. “I don't want them seeing you. Now, let me think. I have to come up with something suitably nasty to do to them that'll drive them away from the entire valley. Get over there with the lad and don't move. I didn't fix the door yet, so if they were motivated enough they could break it.”

Alicia gave a little 'eep' and hurried over to join Snufkin in the small hiding spot by the fireplace as her grandmother thought.

“Can't you turn them into toads or something, grandmother?” Alicia asked timidly.

“Toads multiply too quickly. Before you know it you have a hundred annoying toads instead of one annoying person,” her grandmother answered. She glanced over and added, “Don't worry, Alicia, I won't let them get you. Or your friend.”

Alicia nodded, giving a little 'mn hm' as she did, and her grandmother went back to thinking.

“I could just drive them from the valley,” she muttered, “but then they might wait for us outside it. No, I have to put them off hunting. But how?”

With a small exclamation, the witch started changing, waving her hands in the air. Remembering how she'd said before about how her witchcraft was weakened if she was watched, Snufkin turned to Alicia.

“What do you think she's doing?”

“I don't know. I'm scared,” Alicia admitted.

Snufkin nodded. “For everything that happens here, Moomin Valley always seems so safe,” he agreed.

“There! That ought to teach them a thing or two,” the witch said gleefully.

“Grandmother, what have you done?” Alicia asked quietly.

The witch looked over at the two, smiling gleefully. “Just wait,” she said, rubbing her hands together. “It won't really kick in until they see the two of you, though.”

There was a pounding at the door, and they all looked towards it, with Alicia clinging to Snufkin's arm.

“Well, seems they're getting impatient,” the witch said. “They'll break through any minute. Just trust me.”

Snufkin and Alicia looked to her, both of them looking much younger than their actual ages in their fright.

The door crashed open, splintering down the center, and the men flooded the small cottage.

“Enough stalling!” the man in charge snapped. “I want those two, and I want them now! You have no idea what they're worth!”

The men converged on the two in the corner as they clutched at each other. After a moment, Snufkin hissed, the claws coming out as his hair fluffed, anger overcoming fear. Alicia started chanting, her hands held ready to cast a spell.

The men paused. They blinked a few times, shaking their heads as if to clear them.

Then their eyes went wide. They backed up, one pace, then another, before screaming and scrambling over each other to flee.

They flew out the door, the screams fading away as the witch cackled.

Silence reigned inside the cottage for a stunned minute.

“...Grandmother, what did you do?” Alicia asked in shock.

Her grandmother cackled again. “Oh, not much. Just made it so each time they try to catch someone, they'll see their greatest fears instead. Too much terror to stand their ground.” She cocked her head, still smiling like the proverbial cat. “Oh, what screams!”

“...I...don't suppose there's a way you could make that contagious to the other hunters out there?” Snufkin asked, trying for offhand but far too interested to manage.

The witch's smile grew that much smugger.


End file.
